5 Seconds AKA Glimmer
by MinaSeraphina
Summary: A one-shot alternate ending to the season 7 episode "Don't Lie To Me". J/H! COMPLETE


_This devilish little one-shot would not get out of my head and demanded to be written. It's just what I wished would have happened in this episode because if it had maybe we could have avoided Season 8. And yes, I do have Hyde going through the five stages of grief in this one, it seemed appropriate to the situation. Rated T for one bad word._

_**Bold italics **__indicate dialogue taken directly from the show. I claim to own nothing that you recognise and am not writing for profit but merely for pleasure._

5 Seconds (A.K.A Glimmer)

As soon as she walked into the Forman's basement Jackie knew that something was wrong. Hyde was silently facing the T.V. and didn't acknowledge that she had just walked into the basement.

"_**Hey**_," she said softly.

Hyde glanced at her and then back at the T.V.

"_**Hey, thought you'd be on a plane back to Prince Eduardo land by now**_," he gave her a nasty smile.

Jackie rolled her eyes and closed the door, "_**Donna's mouth is as big as her feet.**_**"**

She moved to stand in front of the couch next to Hyde.

"_**Jackie. What the hell were you thinking?**_"

Jackie looked distressed and decidedly upset, "_**Look, Steven. I know it's a crazy thing to do, it just…**_" she paused fighting the choked up sound out of her voice, "_**I wanted to know what it was like to be planning a life and a wedding and everything, I mean, that's all I've ever wanted… And I was starting to think it was never gonna happen with you.**_"

Jackie watched as Hyde put his hands to his face. Her stomach dropped, she instinctively knew this wasn't going to end well.

"_**Are we back on this again?**_" he asked irritability, standing up to face her, "_**Why can't you just be happy with what we've got?**_"

Jackie forgot to try to keep her voice from breaking, "_**Because I'm not! Steven…" **_she started again, trying to remain in control of herself, "_**Okay. Look**__,__** I need to know that we have a future together. Can't you just give me some kind of sign or just a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe someday we'll get married?**_"

She held her breath as she wait for the response that would either make or break her.

Hyde appeared to be having some sort of internal struggle, "_**J**__**ackie? I don't know.**_"

Hearing what she suspected he would say when she first posed the question did it. She lost control.

"_**That's all you ever say!**_" she said shrill, quickly becoming desperate, "_**Please Steven! Please! Just say anything besides 'I don't know"! Anything else.**_"

Hyde felt a clenching in his chest and gut. He was afraid. Even more, he was afraid to admit that he was afraid. He was losing the battle with himself and quietly, looking away from the shining eyes of the only girl he ever loved, he repeated himself:

"_**I don't know.**_"

Jackie ran the gamut of emotions but she settled on cold resolution, not wanting to feel anything else.

She shook her head slightly, "_**Well then, I can't be with you anymore.**_"

Hyde bristled, fueled by his anger he spat, "_**Jackie. Don't threaten me, okay? It's not gonna work.**__"_

Jackie gave him a look of indifference, "_**I'm not threatening you, Steven… I can't waste anymore of my time on you if it's not gonna happen for us.**_"

She paused briefly, desperate that he say something. That he stop this all from happening. But Hyde remained silent and the situation unraveled fully before her eyes.

"_**Okay,**_" she said softly, not making eye contact for fear he would see through her and delight in watching her break, "_**Well, at least now I know."**_

She turned to walk away.

Hyde felt all breath leave his body. His surroundings disappeared and he felt like he was watching Jackie walk away in slow motion.

She was walking away. In five seconds she would be gone and something inside him told him that there wouldn't be anymore chances.

ONE.

Denial.

She was going to turn around. She was going to turn around and run into his arms. Crying and begging. She'd plead with him to forgive her and promise it would never happen again. She wouldn't leave him.

She said she loved him…

TWO.

Anger.

She wasn't turning around. She was walking away from him. She was leaving him just like every other fucking person in his life had. She was leaving him. She said she was different. Well, she was a liar.

She lied when she said she loved him…

THREE.

Bargaining.

What would happen to him if she walked out that door? She was giving up the battle she had been fighting alone for so long. She was bowing to defeat. She was done with him. He had to stop her, he would do anything to make her stay. He'd do anything.

Please, she said she loved him…

FOUR.

Depression.

It was too late, she was gone. He could see what his careless words had done to her and he'd seen her heart break. He'd messed up and now he was alone.

Didn't she say that she loved him…

FIVE.

Acceptance.

What was she asking for really? A glimmer. Confirmation that her love was reciprocated. Some hope that they would one day get married… it didn't have to be today. After all, why not? Didn't he love her enough to make her his wife? He did, he knew he did. Last chance.

She said she loved him… He'd show her that he loved her, too.

It was time to stopping being a afraid.

"Jackie, wait."

She stopped with her hand on the door knob, she turned her head slightly back towards him to indicate that she was listening. He could see a single tear sparkling on her cheek.

He felt torn up inside. Like in the five seconds it took for her to reach the basement door he had been to hell and back again. It was anguish and he never wanted to feel it again. He didn't want her to feel it either because he was sure that she had. He could recognise now what she had felt when he said the three words that might have destroyed everything.

Now or never.

"I love you, Jackie," he said simply.

She sniffled and turned around this time, her eyes wide and tears flowing silently.

"I- I know I don't say it," he swallowed, " But I do."

She looked at him inquiringly but said nothing.

She hadn't left. That was as good a sign as any.

"I'm not ready to get married right now, Jackie. But…"

He heard her breathing slow until he was sure she'd stopped entirely.

"When I am… you'll be the first to know," he looked into her eyes, hoping she understood that he really could see a future. He hoped that what he had to offer to her right now, today, was enough.

It was.

Jackie launched herself at him and he caught her with an "oof!" She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed him as tightly as she could.

"Oh, Steven!" she kissed him hard and then proceeded to pepper his face with kisses. "I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Hyde chuckled weakly still recovering from her bone-crushing embrace.

"I love you too, Jacks," He dropped to the couch, she remained latched to him, hugging and kissing.

He grasped her face and kissed her softly, telling her with the gesture that she had didn't need to fear that it would never happen for them.

When they pulled away Jackie gazed dreamily into his face and he smiled down at her.

"One thing, Steven? And I swear I won't say anything else."

Of course.

"What is it, baby?"

"I want a spring a wedding-"

"With white doves, the sun setting behind you, and wild mustangs," he said with quirk of his eyebrow, "I know. Anything you want, doll face."

Jackie smiled widely at him and they kissed again. One more to add to the hundreds of thousands they would share.


End file.
